


Loving You The Way I Do

by fardareismai



Series: Where You Lead [5]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Family Relationships - Freeform, Female Relationships, Gen, Mulan Rouge, captain swan background relationship, friendships, gilmore girls 'verse, my ship sails forever no matter what canon says, really this is about ruby and mulan, rumbelle background relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-19
Packaged: 2018-10-31 00:22:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10888017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fardareismai/pseuds/fardareismai
Summary: Sex, love, and fireworks- it's nearly Storybrooke's Fourth of July festival, but the real fireworks are between Ruby and Mulan as their relationship continues to grow.Story four in the Where You Lead 'verse, a Once Upon A Time, Gilmore Girls AU.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Welcome back, Dearies!**
> 
> **This is a short bit of fluff and nonsense because sometimes I want to write about people other than Emma and Killian, and since the show sunk my ship, I only get to live in fanfiction with these two darlings.**
> 
> **If you're coming to this series new, this story is actually the fourth, and follows on from[I Always Wanted a Real Home with Flowers on the Windowsill](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7873537) (informally called "Flowers"), [If You're Out on the Road](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9223946) (generally just "Road"), and [To Me That's What You're Worth](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9911315) (familiarly "WYW"). There is also a series of one-shots and missing scenes called [I Will Follow](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8399323).**
> 
> **As ever, all my love to WhoLockGal, without whom this story would be languishing on my Google Drive, and to all of you who read and review and are just such lovely people. Every comment and Kudos makes me smile and I love all of you so much!**

Ruby scrolled through Instagram on her phone as the diner chattered around her. She didn't notice the shadow fall across her- people moved in and out of the light constantly in the little place- until it spoke.

"Not sure why I have the sign if no one is going to pay attention to it."

Ruby looked up to meet Killian's grumpy blue eyes and smiled.

"What sign?" she asked innocently.

His eyes narrowed at her even as he gestured with the coffee pot in his hand toward the sign over the cash register.

"No mobile phones."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "You've lived in the States for more than 15 years now. You _know_ it's cell phone here, right?"

"I call your bits of fried potato 'French fries' in my menu, and I cut them thin for you people. You can't take everything away from me. Put the phone away."

"What do you expect me to do while I wait?" Ruby asked.

"Talk to someone!" He gestured so widely at the crowded tables that he nearly sloshed coffee out of the carafe, then turned and stormed back to his normal haunt behind the counter.

Ruby picked up her refreshed coffee and wended her way through the diner to a seat at the counter and leaned her elbows on it.

"What are you doing?" Killian asked, sounding annoyed.

"Talking to someone," Ruby said with a sweet smile. "You."

"I'm busy, pick someone else."

Ruby pretended to think about this. "Mmmm, nope. So tell me, Killian Jones. How's it going?"

"How is what going? What is it with Americans and refusing to use direct objects?"

Ruby refused to be distracted. Like most of the women in his life, she had learned to tune out his grumpy nature. He had a sense of humor under the prickles, if one had sufficient patience.

"How's business at the diner," Ruby said, gesturing around vaguely. "How's your health? Or, more interestingly, how are things between you and Emma?"

"Things between Emma and me are fine," Killian said, dismissively. After a moment, he looked up into Ruby's face, a crease between his brows. "Why? Has she said different?"

"No. Any time I ask, she also says that things are 'fine.' You know you two might consider actually providing a bit of information. It might stop the gossips in town from making stuff up about the pair of you."

"If by 'gossips' you mean you, Ruby Lucas, I don't think anything short of a Facebook livestream of our every interaction would keep you from speculating."

"First of all," Ruby said, grinning, "when did you get a Facebook to learn what a livestream is?"

"Henry explained it to me recently," Killian grunted, then shot her a sharp look. "Don't read into that."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Ruby said, batting her eyelashes. "Which brings me to my second point, I object to the insinuation that you consider me a gossip, Killian Jones."

"Fish swim, birds fly, and Ruby Lucas obsesses about other people's sex lives," Killian said.

"I don't obsess. I'm like Emma- the one from Jane Austen, not ours-" Ruby explained quickly when Killian shot her an odd look. "I just can't rest if I think my friends are unhappy in love."

"I'm _not_ unhappy in love, and yet you persist in pestering me."

Ruby shrugged. "The Jolly hasn't opened late the entire time you've been seeing Emma, and you've only closed early a couple of times. Are you _sure_ you're happy in love?"

"I hired help, so I don't have to close any time I want an early night."

"And I can't tell you how pleased I am that the fashion for staffing this place with pretty men has persisted," Ruby said, glancing over her shoulder to where Jim Hawkins was delivering heaping plates of pancakes and eggs to a table.

"Eyes in your head, Lucas. You're a taken woman."

"And how, though that doesn't mean I'm blind," she said, turning both eyes and mind to the conversation at hand. "Back to the point, however, you haven't missed a breakfast rush. I'd have heard if you had."

"What are you getting at, Ruby?" Killian asked, his voice going low and dangerous.

Ruby was no coward, however, and narrowed her eyes at him. "You haven't stayed over with Emma."

Killian said nothing, just pressed his lips together, his glare going icy in an instant.

Ruby persisted. "And she hasn't stayed over here."

That dangerous muscle in Killian's jaw jumped. "This is none of your business," he said, voice hard and cold as iron.

"I just want to know why!"

"Why what?"

Both Killian and Ruby started, turning to see Mulan had joined them at the counter. She was looking between the combatants with wary curiosity.

Ruby smiled. "Good to see you, Babe. Just asking Killian how his life is going."

"Mmm," Mulan said, skeptically. "Because he usually makes that face during small talk. You're prying into things that aren't your business, aren't you?" She didn't wait for an answer, just turned to Killian. "You do know you don't have to answer her, right?"

"He _wasn't_ answering," Ruby objected.

"Hush," Mulan told her before turning back to Killian. "I passed George on my way here. He wants to know if you're willing to make sandwiches for the Fourth of July festival. We have desserts, fried chicken, salads, and beans covered, besides the entries in the Chili Cook-off but he needs around 200 sandwiches as well."

Some of the tension had drained out of Killian with Mulan's presence and he rolled his eyes, though the lines around his mouth remained deep with anger.

"I always agree, don't I? You'd think he'd just plan for it."

Mulan shrugged, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "I'm sure he was just being polite, making sure that you're available this year as in years past."

Killian narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her. "And why wouldn't I be?" he asked.

Mulan shrugged, her innocent look far more convincing than Ruby's. "I couldn't tell you. He did mention a sign-up sheet in his store that you hadn't filled out though…"

Killian threw his head back and groaned. "Gods, does the man think we're in high school? I've said I'll do it, so I'll do it! I don't need to sign up and get a parent's permission form. My word should be good enough!."

Ruby glanced at Mulan who was biting the inside of her cheek to suppress her amusement as Killian continued this rant.

"Hey Kil!" Ruby called, cutting across something about "power for power's sake" and "small men with big ambitions." "We're gonna grab a table and order some breakfast, okay?"

"I'd like a cup of tea, if you don't mind," Mulan said into the brief quiet as Killian's mind processed this change of direction.

"Not the Lipton crap you normally serve," Ruby added. "The good stuff you get from Jeff's." Killian opened his mouth but Ruby interrupted before he could say anything. "I know you have it, don't lie to me, Jones."

Killian closed his mouth and Ruby tugged Mulan away to the table she'd vacated earlier.

"You're horrible," Mulan said quietly as they sat down.

"You hate Lipton Tea!" Ruby objected.

"Not that. Why do you have to hound him about his sex life?"

"Who says that's what I was hounding him about?"

"Ruby," Mulan said, exasperated, "it's all you've been talking about for two weeks. Emma is actively avoiding you, otherwise she'd probably be over there-" Mulan nodded toward Ruby's empty seat at the counter "-and he'd probably be smiling."

"I just don't understand," Ruby said, slouching back in her chair and glaring at Killian over Mulan's shoulder. "Mary Margaret and David were at it on their second date."

"It took you and me longer than that," Mulan said as Jim Hawkins set her tea in front of her. Ruby could smell the sweet florals from across the table and knew that Killian had done as she'd asked.

"We were trying to get to know each other," Ruby explained. "Those guys have known each other forever, I just don't know what they're waiting for. I mean, if Mary Margaret and David can do it… those two were practically priests! Well… Mary Margaret would have been a nun, but you know what I mean."

"Emma and Killian are different, Ruby-"

"Right! They've both had sex sometime in the last decade. It should be easier for them!"

Mulan smiled and shook her head. Jim came back at that point to take their orders, but when he vanished, she spoke.

"It's not that simple with them, Rube. David and Mary Margaret… from what you've told me, there's never really been anyone else for the two of them except each other. Even David's marriage was more like a dream than anything substantial. For them it's like… like a fairy tale where true love's kiss can solve any problem, you know?"

Ruby was listening, a slight frown creasing her brow, and nodded.

"Emma and Killian though," Mulan continued, "they've both loved before. Seriously loved, not just dated. And, as you say, they've both had sex. And those two? They know the difference between love and sex, and they know the consequences of not acknowledging the difference. I think it makes them cautious."

"But you can't be cautious with love! You can't quantify it and pick it apart and be sure everything is going to be all right! I'm afraid they're holding back because of Henry."

"No," Mulan said, shaking her head. "I mean… Henry's part of it of course. He will be no matter who Emma is seeing, but I don't think he's the problem with her and Killian. They both love him to pieces, and neither of them want to hurt him, and of course he's a tangible example of how love and sex can go wrong. But as much as they don't want to hurt Henry, they don't want to hurt each other more. Henry's a kid- his psyche is made of rubber. He'll bounce back. But Emma and Killian? They might not."

"What do you mean?"

"You think this is _It_ for them, right? True love and wedding bells and happy ever after?"

"Well yeah," Ruby said, surprised that she had to ask. "Don't you?"

Mulan shrugged. "Could be. The point is that _they_ think it might be. And you don't get over your true love, not really. If something happens to them, you might have other people, but it's never quite the same. My grandmother is that way. She's on her third husband- keeps outliving them- but my grandfather was her soulmate."

"That's really romantic."

Mulan smiled. "It is, isn't it? But the point is that hurting someone who means that much to you and being hurt by them… it's that much worse when it happens. Both Killian and Emma have a lot of scars and baggage, and the trouble with those things is that if you don't know where they are, you can really hurt someone by finding them the wrong way."

Ruby sighed. "This is why I love you, you know that? You're always clear-eyed when I'm being stupid."

"You're not stupid, you're just too close to the main players here. You're too invested." Mulan reached over and grabbed Ruby's hand and squeezed it.

Ruby glanced over her shoulder at Killian again. "I just really want them to be happy."

That made Mulan smile. "I know. You care about them a lot, and that's why I love you."

"But I should leave them alone?"

"Not necessarily," Mulan said with a shrug. "They'll never move at your pace, but they can't spend all their time worrying and dancing around each other. Every couple hurts each other sometimes, and putting it off like that isn't entirely healthy either."

"I think you just gave me permission to meddle!" Ruby said, eyes going wide.

"Not _too_ much," Mulan hedged, but her smile deepened after a moment. "But yeah, I guess I did."

"God, I _knew_ you were perfect for me!" Ruby said, pulling their clasped hands toward her and kissing the back of Mulan's. "Anyway, speaking of the Fourth of July Festival…"

Mulan blinked in confusion. "Ruby, that was nearly twenty minutes ago."

Ruby shrugged. "But you _were_ speaking of it."

Mulan shook her head. "I will never understand you."

Ruby just grinned. "Anyway, Granny wants to be up at the buttcrack of dawn, and wants my help getting her pies ready for the pie-eating contest. I thought maybe, if you wanted, you could stay over at our place. You like getting up early, and three people will make the work go that much faster, what do you say?"

"Stay over? At… with Granny?" Mulan asked, suddenly sounding awkward.

"Well yeah," Ruby said, frowning at her girlfriend's response. "I know we usually stay at your place 'cause you live alone, but this would be easier- you could help us out and… what's up? You don't want to stay with Granny? I thought you liked her."

"Well yeah, Granny's amazing," Mulan agreed, not quite meeting Ruby's eyes. "I'm just not sure that Granny likes _me_."

"What?" Ruby asked, shocked. "Did something happen? Did someone say something? Did _Granny_ say something?"

"No!" Mulan said, squeezing Ruby's hand and then letting go to allow Ned Land to deliver their plates to the table and refill Ruby's coffee. "No," she continued once he had vanished again, "she hasn't said anything. I just… I haven't really spent much time with her."

Ruby frowned. "Of course you have. There was Henry's birthday party, and then the wedding at the Inn, and there was the basketball game at the end of the school year-"

"Yeah, but that wasn't us being… you know… _together_. I just… I don't know how she's going to feel about me as your girlfriend when it's shoved under her nose." Mulan poked at her eggs with her fork and refused to meet Ruby's eyes.

"Mulan," Ruby said, sitting forward and trying to catch her eye. "Sweetie, is something wrong? Has something happened? If someone's said something to you, I'll-"

"No. No, it's nothing. Everyone's been wonderful. Storybrooke has been… idyllic, really."

Ruby looked at her for a long moment and then lowered her voice. "Is this about your parents?"

She sighed, and Ruby knew she'd found the mark.

"It's just… you know I'm not out to them, right?"

"I know. And that's fine, but you don't need to worry about Granny with that. She's fine with it, and she won't tell your parents if they come to town."

Mulan's eyes went wide. "No, no, _no_. My mother is _never_ coming to Storybrooke. That would be a disaster."

Ruby put up her hands in surrender. "Whatever you say. No Mrs. Fa in Storybrooke. Got it."

"I know it's not about Granny. I know she's fine with all of this but… I met a girlfriend's parents once, did I ever tell you that?"

Ruby's eyebrows went up. "No… I don't think you have."

"Yeah, in college. She wasn't out to her parents either, so the whole thing was like… just gal pals meeting the folks, right?" Mulan shrugged, though her eyes were beginning to sparkle. "I was crazy about her, and we'd talked about her coming out that weekend- introducing me as her girlfriend and everything. It didn't happen, but I figured that was okay, you know… baby steps. But a couple of weeks later she went home again- by herself this time- and when she came back, she said that her parents had set her up on a date. With a guy."

Ruby felt a weight drop in her stomach but said nothing.

"To make her parents happy, she pretended to be dating the guy, all while she was actually dating me. It was… complicated. And frustrating. She got to be publically affectionate with this guy and watching the two of them together… it killed me. But I told myself it was okay because I was the one she was really with, right?"

"Oh, Mulan," Ruby whispered, reaching a hand out for hers, only to have it jerked away.

"They were together for a year, and so were we. Then he asked her to marry him and she said yes. She told me we could still be together but…"

"But that's not together," Ruby finished for her. "I'm so sorry."

Mulan shook her head.

"It really isn't about Granny though, is it? It's about me being bi."

Finally Mulan met her eyes, anguish in her face. "No, Rube, it's not-"

"Mulan, it's okay!" Ruby said, taking her hand again. She allowed it this time. "I understand. I don't want you to lie to me, and I don't want you to pretend to be anything you're not, okay? I can't change who I am, but I don't want you to pretend that's okay if it isn't."

"It _is_ okay though!" Mulan took her other hand, holding both and finally looking into Ruby's eyes as though she could convey her meaning with her eyes alone. "I can't pretend I'm not scared and that Aurora didn't leave some bruises, but I love you. More than I ever loved her, and I was so sure that she was it for me. I don't know if I'm ever going to get over what she did to me and learn to forgive and forget. I don't know if I'll ever come out to my parents. I don't know if you and I are going to get that fairy tale wedding, but I do know that I love you, and I'm okay with this- with you. Anything you are, okay?"

Ruby smiled gently at her. "What if I were a werewolf?"

Mulan's smile was watery, but it was there. "I love dogs."

"A zombie?"

"You'd be welcome to eat my brain so we could be zombies together."

"No, if your lover turns into a zombie you have to keep them hidden and secret until someone finds out and kills them, thus completing your character arc."

Mulan shook her head. "Only men get character arcs in zombie movies."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "That's true. What if… I were a vegetarian?"

"A vegetarian werewolf? Or zombie?"

"A vegetarian vampire."

Mulan wrinkled her nose. "Eew, that's a deal-breaker. If you're going to be a vampire at least be the kind that mopes in interesting places like New Orleans or Paris, not the Pacific Northwest."

Ruby was laughing now. "Okay… what if I told you I was a republican?"

Mulan frowned. "Are you?"

Ruby shook her head, exasperated. "I'm a bisexual New Englander dating a Chinese lesbian, what do you think?"

"Fair enough. I suppose I'd just have to convert you."

Ruby grinned wolfishly. "Sounds like it could be fun."

"Down girl," Mulan said, though her cheeks were appealingly pink. "Sit, stay, or I'll have to turn the hose on you." She squeezed Ruby's hands. "We okay?"

Ruby smiled and nodded. "We're okay."

"Let's have breakfast then."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **I offer today for you a fluffy distraction from the general dissatisfaction that seems to have permeated the fandom since Sunday's episode. Just reading through it again for editing purposes made me smile, so I hope it makes you smile as well.**
> 
> **A bit of housekeeping: This is the end of this bit, and there's a three-part, adult-rated story that will start next week. After that, I'm taking a bit of a break, but that doesn't mean you won't still be seeing updates from me, just not on this 'verse.**
> 
> **Most of you know that my own True Love is WhoLockGal, and she has a birthday on the Wednesday after the final (sexy) chapter of the next story goes up. I've been working on something fun and special (and CS, naturally) for her, and it will start publishing on her birthday. It's not quite done yet, so I'm not sure how long it will publish. Just a taste for anyone interest: it is a Once Upon a Time, Leverage AU featuring Captain Swan and some characters who don't get nearly enough play in this 'verse.**
> 
> **I don't know exactly how long a break this hiatus will be, but I'll definitely be back by the end of the summer with more adventures of Killian, Emma, and the rest of not-Stars Hollow.**
> 
> **Happy Fanfiction Friday, y'all!**

It seemed like half the town had retreated to the Jolly Roger after the Fourth of July festivities. Mulan and Ruby split up at the door, Mulan grabbing a table in the back of the diner that allowed her to see all of the activity at the door and counter, and Ruby ordering their drinks from Ned Land who was manning the counter. Jim Hawkins was already delivering drinks to the earlier-arriving tables, and in the back Black Bart, Killian's long-serving, longer-suffering fry cook had the fires roaring and people were already ordering burgers and fries.

Mulan had no idea where anyone found the inner space for food. The festival had included a fried chicken lunch, salads, beans, bread, and sandwiches, not to mention the entries in the chili cook-off (which had come down to a bitter battle between Granny and Killian which Granny had won) and the dessert competition (which Mary Margaret had won without struggle).

Granny was still at the festival, arguing with George as she was wont to do, but she'd promised she'd meet Ruby and Mulan at the diner.

Ruby appeared at their table, a damp glass of Coke in each hand.

"Decided to give Jim a break," she said, taking the seat beside Mulan that faced into the diner.

Belle walked by, a glass of iced tea in hand, alone for the first time that day. She had been escorted through the festival by an older man with longish grey-brown hair and a cane. The pair had walked arm-in-arm and she had spoken more than anyone in town had ever seen the little librarian speak in one sitting. Her hands had flown as though she might shape the words on the air, and he had watched, enraptured, as she had done so.

Ruby shot an arm out to stop Belle walking past.

"Belle, I've been dying to know all day!" Ruby cried, tugging her arm to sit across from them and leaning conspiratorially across the table once she had. "Who's the silver fox?" she asked in a stage whisper that had both Belle and Mulan rolling their eyes.

"His name is Richard. Richard Gold. He's from Misthaven," Belle said, a soft pink blush rising in her cheeks.

"Yeah?" Ruby asked, leaning so far forward she was practically laying on the table. "How'd you meet Richard Gold from Misthaven?"

Belle's blush deepened and she looked away from Ruby. "Um… it was… when I planned Henry's birthday party for Emma's mum?"

Ruby frowned. "He's a friend of Regina's?"

"He's Henry's grandfather."

"Grandfather!?" Ruby shouted.

Mulan smacked her arm, though the noise levels in the diner were too far gone for anyone to have really noticed Ruby's outburst. Belle looked like she wanted to disintegrate into dust, however.

"I knew it," she said, sounding dismal. "It's too much of an age gap. I'd hoped maybe… but-"

"No, Belle," Ruby said, reaching out and gripping her hand. "That wasn't what I meant, I'm sorry. It was a really stupid thing to say."

"He doesn't look that old," Mulan said, trying to be logical and bring Belle out of her funk, "and Emma was a kid when she had Henry. What kind of an age gap are we even talking about here?"

"Twenty-two years," Belle muttered.

"So he's… what? Fifty-five?" Mulan asked. "That's hardly nursing-home material."

"He was already married when I was born! His son is only a couple of years younger than me!"

"Right," Mulan consented. "But since you're not his daughter and, presumably, he's no longer married, I don't see how that's a problem."

"He's _not_ still married, is he?" Ruby asked, seriously.

Belle gave Ruby an exasperated look. "No," she said simply, then, seeming lo take pity on Ruby's crestfallen look, continued. "She left him when Neal was in high school. He doesn't talk about it much-I think maybe there was another man. Emma might actually know more about it than I do- that was around the time she met Neal."

Mulan glanced over and was unsurprised to find Ruby's eyes shining at the idea of this much information that she could plumb from Emma and rolled her own eyes.

"Well then," she said, trying to return the conversation to the point, "if he's not married and you're both adults, I don't see why his age should make even the slightest bit of difference. He likes you, doesn't he?"

Belle shrugged, blushed, and nodded.

"And he treats you well? You like talking to him?"

"Oh yes. He's been everywhere and seen everything. He's read practically every book I've ever heard of and plenty that I never have," Belle enthused.

Mulan stepped on Ruby's foot before she could say anything. "He sounds perfect. If you're happy then screw what anyone else in town thinks, right?"

"Well…" Belle started.

Ruby jumped in. "No 'but's, no 'well's. Mulan is right. Ignore the gossips- even me. If you're happy then we're happy, and you look happy."

"Belle?" a voice called over the noise, causing all three women to look up.

At the counter, Ned Land held up a brown paper bag presumably full of food where Belle could see it.

"Oh, that's me!" she said, pushing away from the table. "I'll see you two soon then. And thanks."

Ruby and Mulan waved her off and watched her out the door. She practically ran into Killian and Henry as the pair of them walked in together, followed by Emma and her dark-haired and imperious-looking mother.

Mulan was pleased to see that that entire group had resumed their smiles. There had been a brief fight earlier when Killian had agreed to let Henry on his boat with him, Anton, and Leroy as they sailed out into the harbour and shot fireworks from the deck. Emma and Regina had, to no one's surprise, objected. The fireworks generated as the three adults had hissed quietly at one-another had been more exciting than the inexpensive pyrotechnics shot of shortly thereafter, with Henry safe ashore with his mother and grandmother.

"They seem to have worked things out," Ruby said, echoing Mulan's thoughts as Killian directed the Swans and Regina to a table.

"He was an idiot thinking she'd ever let him take Henry out on the boat with fireworks. Leroy ends up half blowing himself up every year, and he's much older than Henry."

Ruby shrugged. "In my experience, boys never grow up."

Mulan just smiled and leaned back in her seat, enjoying watching the diner swirl around them. She yawned after a few minutes, the early morning and long, busy day finally catching up with her.

Ruby reached for her hand under the table, lacing their fingers together.

"Good day?" she asked, bringing their hands up to kiss the back of Mulan's.

Mulan sighed and smiled, leaning her head on Ruby's shoulder. "Perfect. Every minute of it."

It had been. The previous night they'd stayed at Granny's, the three women staying up late with hot chocolate and tea and classic movies until Granny had fallen asleep on the sofa and Ruby had bullied her into bed. She and Ruby had managed one more movie- _Singin' in the Rain_ , Ruby's favorite- before they'd retreated to bed as well. Granny had gotten them up with the sun, but with scrambled eggs, bacon, and strong coffee as well, which made the early hour better. They'd spent the day together in the bright sunshine with their friends and each other.

Mulan couldn't think of a time she'd had a better day.

"You about ready to go home?" Ruby murmured as Mulan yawned again.

"Yeah, soon."

"Do you mind if I stay over tonight, or…"

"Move in with me."

Ruby couldn't possibly have been more surprised with the words than Mulan herself was. They both went still for a long, tense moment.

"What?" Ruby squeaked. Had Mulan not been sitting so close, she wouldn't have heard it over the sounds of the diner.

"I-" Mulan began, thinking to say it was a mistake or a joke. To claim she wasn't serious, but stopped herself. She had, in fact, never been more serious about anything in her life.

"Move in with me," she repeated, leaning back and looking Ruby in the eyes. "Move to my place or… I guess we could find a new place. My lease is up in about two months, we could find someplace new. But together. You and me. What do you say?"

Ruby sat silent and open-mouthed for a moment, and Mulan thought that their friends might be impressed at her for having left the great Ruby Lucas speechless. The moment was not one she wanted to share with friends, however- at least not until she knew Ruby's answer- and so she waited quietly until Ruby could speak again.

"What… what would you tell your mom?"

Mulan shrugged, shocked to find that she didn't care in the slightest. "My mom doesn't live in Storybrooke. You do. Either I'll get brave and tell her the truth or I'll tell her we're roommates. I don't care what I tell her, but I want to live with you."

"What if we break up?"

Mulan shook her head. "You were the one telling me just the other day that you can't plan and parse love. We might break up, we might get sick or die or all turn into beings of pure energy and light. But, until then, I want to live with you. I want to wake up with you every day, not just when we schedule it. I know it hasn't been very long, and I know maybe you aren't ready but… well… that's how I feel about it. I love you, Ruby."

"I love you too." Ruby's face suddenly seemed to glow from within, her smile was so bright and wide that Mulan wanted to squint to look at it. "I want to move in with you!"

"What are you two grinning at like hyenas?" Granny asked, appearing at their table in that moment.

"Mulan and I are moving in together!" Ruby cried, standing to hug her grandmother.

It was Granny's great whoop that alerted the rest of the town, who were already in a celebratory mood and only wanted something else to party about.

The Jolly Roger didn't close until the wee hours that night.


End file.
